Theodore Roosevelt continues to generate news. His character inspires people and activities such as the 100th anniversary of the Rough Riders celebrate his life.

Currently, Tweed Roosevelt, Long Island Republican Congressman Rick Lazio, Democratic Congressman Paul McHale of Pennsylvania and Dr. John Gable, executive director of the Theodore Roosevelt Association appeared before the House of Representatives on Monday, Oct. 5 to testify on why TR should receive the Congressional Medal of Honor. On Thursday, Oct. 8 the house voted "yes" and it is now being discussed in the Senate's subcommitee on Military Personnel.

They are hoping it will be moved out of committee very quickly to go on to a vote in the Senate before it adjourns.

"Congressman Paul McHale was the big hero," said Dr. Gable, "It was his idea. The rest of us are just followers.

"Tweed is going from office to office. The Army is the problem. They don't like any change. They don't like to admit that they have made any mistakes," he said.

The Army decided not to give TR the medal people believe he deserved for organizing the Rough Riders and leading them up San Juan Hill in a decisive moment in the Spanish-American War. Mr. Roosevelt angered the Secretary of War who held him responsible for the release of a letter requesting the Army be moved out of Cuba for health reasons. They were suffering from tropical diseases. Roosevelt and other Army officers were urging the men be moved to the states.

A letter signed by a group of officers, the Round Robin Letter and a letter from TR alone were leaked to the press and the Secretary of War held him responsible, explained Linda Milano, assistant director of the TRA.

The action cost him the medal but saved untold lives.

TR returned to Montauk and Camp Wycoff where his actions led to his election as NYS Governor.

At the recent gala for the Friends of Sagamore Hill, a chapter of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, dedicated to fund raising and other efforts to help the famous historic site, recognized the efforts of Congressman Rick Lazio by presenting him with a bust of TR in honor of his work on behalf of the medal for the president.

That day, at Sagamore Hill, Aug. 30 in actuality - focused on the major honoree, P. James Roosevelt.

In his introduction of Mr. Roosevelt, Dr. Gable said he was the person who hired him for his job with the TRA. "It was the work I was born to do," said Dr. Gable.

P. James Roosevelt was honored for his many years of service to the memory of his kinsman, President Theodore Roosevelt, and to many nonprofit and charitable organizations.

P. James Roosevelt was president of the Theodore Roosevelt Association, 1972-1977, and has long managed the financial affairs of the organization, serving as treasurer 1964-1966 and again 1987-1998. He is the only member of the Roosevelt family who has been President of the Theodore Roosevelt Association.

P. James Roosevelt, who celebrated his 70th birthday on Aug. 22, was commodore of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, 1976-1979, and wrote a short history of the club, published in 1994.

He was president of Youngs Memorial Cemetery in Oyster Bay for many years, the place where President Theodore Roosevelt is buried. He was honorary curator of the Theodore Roosevelt Collection at Harvard.

Jim Roosevelt has used his investment and, management skills on behalf of many organizations, and has served as treasurer of the Oyster Bay Sailing Foundation, East Woods School, Junior Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound, New York Diabetes Association, and other groups as well as of the TRA. He was president of the investment firm of P. J. Roosevelt, Inc. in Oyster Bay, 1969 - 1992 and in 1992 became one of the founders of the Roosevelt Investment Group.

The chairman of the Friends of Sagamore Hill event was Brian Madden; the honorary chairman of the fund-raising event is Congressman Rick Lazio; and the treasurer of the Friends is Stephen A. Martini.

Brian Madden spoke of the need for funds for Sagamore Hill. Over the last seven years, the emphasis of the National Park Service has been to cut costs. The effect on Sagamore Hill has been to have no increase in the support of the facility, while costs continue to increase, he said. When Sagamore Hill was given to the NPS, the Theodore Roosevelt Association gave them an endowment fund, which continues to provide funds to the house, for maintaining it.

The Friends of Sagamore Hill is continuing that work through supporting a three-year project: four historians are acting as consultants to help tell the real story of the children of TR, that is the focus of the Old Orchard Museum. It will be ready by the year 2001.

The Friends of Sagamore Hill meet the second Wednesday of every month at Antun's of Hicksville, "gratis," he said. Patty LeCompte and her husband Don believe in giving back to the community. She is a vice president of the FSH, the other is Oyster Bay Historian Dorothy Horton McGee.

For further information, please call the TRA at 921-6319.